[TR] Spitfire 1500 brake problems

[Ed Woods]

A friend sent me the following. Any ideas from The List?

Ed Woods


When I bought the car it took a long time for the car to stop when I pushed on
the brakes.  No matter how hard I pushed on the brakes, I couldn't lock up the
wheels.  The pedal was good and solid but no stopping power.  I started taking
stuff apart and noticed that the left rear wheel cylinder was leaking pretty
bad which had soaked the brakes shoes pretty bad.  I figured that was the
problem.  I replaced the wheel cylinder and rebuild the right rear wheel
cylinder as well as both front calipers for good measure.  Replaced the rear
brake shoes.  I figured I may as well upgrade while I was messing around and
replaced all the hoses with braided hoses and replaced the brake fluid with
silicon brake fluid.  I also replaced the bleeders with speed bleeders.  I
tried and tried and tried but couldn't get a good solid pedal feel.  Adjusted
the rear brakes, had someone pump the brakes up even with the speed bleeders,
removed the speed bleeders and tried to bleed them in the traditional fashion.
Still no solid brake feel.  I rebuild the master cylinder and bench bled it by
injecting a little air into the vent hole in the cap until solid fluid came
out of both holes for the lines.  Still didn't have a solid pedal feel.
Replaced the master cylinder, bench bled as before and still no solid pedal
feel.   Adjusted the rear brakes, had someone pump the brakes up even with the
speed bleeders, removed the speed bleeders and tried to bleed them in the
traditional fashion.  Still no solid brake feel.  I discovered that if I
tighten up the rear brakes as far as possible then I get a nice solid pedal
feel.  Loosened them back up just barely enough to get the wheels to turn.
Pedal went back to the floor again.  Finally took it for a drive.  Lo and
behold after about a mile the pedal was feeling pretty solid.  But it still
didn't stop for anything.  When I got it back home, and let it sit for a
minute or two, the pedal went back to the floor again and I had to pump it up
to get a solid pedal feel again.  Pulled the front pads and noticed they
seemed to have a sheen to them.  Replaced the pads.  Took it for another
drive.  Still no pedal and still won't stop for anything.